Being a parent and a writer: strategies for success (bios below)
In a time when the economic climate is not so much cold as downright freezing; it’s more stressful than ever now for freelancers to know where their next job is coming from. Work is scarce and competition is fierce. Throw a family into the mix and those stress levels have just gone through the roof!

Led by the recruitment agency "Media Parents", this important discussion will tackle the realities of being a parent AND a freelancer in 2010.

Our experienced panel of experts will also share strategies for dealing with your work on top of the demands of family life.

A must for every writer with children - or those thinking about having any!

AMY WALKER - Director / Producer
Amy Walker is an award-winning factual television producer, director and series producer. She has written and produced programmes for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and the major non-terrestrial channels over more than a decade. Amy has worked globally across a variety of genres - documentary, factual and entertainment - on subjects ranging from design to anthropology, from genetic engineering to the environment.

Media Parents is a new jobs and social networking website for people who want to work more flexibly in media. 5,000 women and 750 men left TV over the last 3 years - www.mediaparents.co.uk is one practical way to keep hold of some of the talent! Set up in 2010 by Amy, the site is working with hundreds of talented freelancers and many top indies and broadcasters who want to see media working more flexibly and holding onto experienced talent.

www.mediaparents.co.uk aims to pull all the short term, regular hours, job share and part time jobs in media into one place, to help freelance working parents – or anyone who wants to work flexibly - to balance the demands of media and other commitments, and to make it easier for employers to find this highly skilled and experienced part of the media workforce.

REBECCA GATWARD - Director
Rebecca is a freelance Television and Theatre Director. She has directed for DOCTORS, EASTENDERS and CASUALTY since Aug 2008 when she started directing Television Drama. In Aug 2009 she graduated from the BBC’s Director’s Academy.

Theatre credits as Director include:

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS for Shakespeare’s Globe 2009 & 2010. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE for Shakespeare’s Globe’s 2007. THE INDIAN BOY (2006) by Rona Munro for the RSC Complete Works Festival; THE CANTERBURY TALES (2006) RSC TOUCHED by Stephen Lowe (2008 Salisbury Playhouse); YIKES! (2005 Unicorn Theatre); CANCER TALES (2005 New Wolsey Theatre Studio); OLD KING COLE (2004 Unicorn at the Cochrane Theatre); THYESTES (2003 RSC The Other Place) THE ACCRINGTON PALS (2002 West Yorkshire Playhouse); THE OWL WHO WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK (2002 Bristol Old Vic); THE MAGIC TOYSHOP (2001 Shared Experience: Soho Theatre and national tour); THE THREE BIRDS (collaboration between Gate Theatre and NT Studio ; VENECIA (2000 Gate Theatre). She also restaged THIS IS OUR YOUTH with Matt Damon and Casey Affleck (2002 Garrick Theatre).

LUCY V. HAY - Screenwriter / Script Editor
Lucy V Hay is a screenwriter and script editor. The eldest of five children, Lucy wanted to kill most of her siblings (usually for taking too long in the bathroom), but feared going to jail so wrote her ideas into stories instead. Since graduating Bournemouth University’s BA (Hons) Scriptwriting for Film & TV in 2003, Lucy has been in consistent paid work, including the corporate world of games and toys; script editing; journalism – on and offline; web copy; short film and features.

Via her Bang2write Script Consultancy, Lucy has read for countless writers, directors and producers, ranging from new to professional. She has also worked regularly as a script reader for the likes of Scottish Screen, Premiere Pictures and Initialize Films as well as The Sequel To Cannes Short Scriptwriting Contest 09, The SWF09 Scriptmarket initiative, London Metropolitan University’s METLAB initiative and TAPs.

Lucy is the long term collaborator of the writer/director JK Amalou and has script edited for many, many independent production companies including Remark! Productions (THE FINGERSPELLERS), Stiletto Films (HANDS SOLO ) and Embrace Productions (ACT OF GRACE). Lucy is also the head reader for the LSWF Short Script Challenge this year.

Lucy is also the owner of “Write Here, Write Now”, a screenwriting tips and networking website which is the home of The Required Reading List, an e-library of all the best writing and writing-related articles online by various authors (find it here: www.tinyurl.com/reqdreading).

MARC PYE - Screenwriter
Marc Pye has been writing for film and television for the past ten years. Amongst his television credits are EASTENDERS, HIGH ROAD, THE BILL, WATERLOO ROAD, THE ROYAL, HOLBY BLUE, ECHO BEACH, RIVER CITY, THE STREET and MOVING ON.

He is the author of two novels, LOLLIPOP and REWIRE (Sceptre) and his three short films – BALDY MCBAIN, LAST LEGS and INSTANT CREDIT all premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. INSTANT CREDIT was also selected for the Newport Beach Film Festival, LA in 2004.

His first feature, ACT OF GRACE, starring Leo Gregory, David Yip and Jennifer Lim is due to be released this year and he is currently writing BETWEEN WEATHERS a feature comedy due to shoot in The Shetlands in September 2010.